


Airlock Talk

by NyxKeilantra413



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 20:05:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15848418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxKeilantra413/pseuds/NyxKeilantra413
Summary: (is Galran equivalent of shovel talk.)In which Keith, growing close with Kolivan while at the Blades, receives a shovel talk from them.





	Airlock Talk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [annintheroom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annintheroom/gifts).



> When exactly is the time setting?? I have no idea. Keith is at the Blades but everyone is alive and maybe after this Keith and Kolivan are gonna date idk.

While not exactly _fun_ , life at the Blades is quite nice. Sure, the food is only one level above space goo and Keith won’t be surprised if it gains sentience one day. Sure, there’s few amusement; everyone’s schedule goes along the line of rise-exercise-breakfast-group exercise-lunch-mission practice-dinner-more exercise and/or medical check-up. And sure, it’s rather weird living surrounded by an unknown number of Galras instead of four humans and two Alteans.

But it’s not bad at all. Physical exercise is generally all Keith did back in the Castle, after all, and albeit he’ll never admit it, he’s actually looking forward to wrestle the sustenance in the Blades’ HQ when it gains sentience.

And having Kolivan’s company with him is quite _nice_ indeed. Even if 90% of what Kolivan talks about concerns life-or-death missions; Keith was shocked enough to learn that Kolivan would spare 10% on Other Subjects.

And those Other Subjects—about Kolivan’s own research about Galran history, cultures, and values that have been forgotten through millennia, about the lands and animals and plants on Daibazaal, as well as Keith’s own contribution about earth—are something that Keith truly enjoys there.

Which is why, content with his life at the Blades the way it is, Keith is unprepared when a group (or perhaps a _murder_ ) of Blades swoops in as he walks down one hallway and drags him into a room.

 

Well, a room about the size of a broom closet. Or maybe a little bigger, since Keith doubts a room of that size can contain up to twelve full-sized Galras.

The biggest of them cannot be mistaken as anyone but Antok, gentle yet unyielding with his grip on Keith’s shoulders. Among the others, Keith can spot Ulaz and Regris too, besides a few others whom he has had missions with.

Alarm bells run in Keith’s mind. His hand twitches, wanting to take his blade and protect himself but very unsure he can handle twelve in an enclosed space like that.

Is this some sort of initiation for new Blades member? Is there going to be an orgy, like that one time Hunk, Lance, and Pidge insisted on asking that one time he contacted them?

(He really hopes not. He told them there wouldn’t be any, and they had challenged him to bet on it.)

Or perhaps this is some sort of bullying instead? Keith has faced plenty back at school. Maybe these Blades are just disinclined to accept a half-breed into their rank?

Keith is still frozen with panic when one of the Blades gets out a chair. Antok firmly leads him by his shoulders and make him sit there, before one by one, the Blades take off their hoods and let their masks dissolve. A tap at the shoulder ( _the_ shoulder that got injured at his trial, Keith notices) causes Keith to take his own hood off as well.

Antok stares solemnly at Keith, his enormous build blocking off the sole entrance of the room.

“Keith,” his voice comes off as a rumble, even without the voice distorter built inside his mask. “We want you to know that nevertheless, we care greatly about you.”

Keith freezes. No. No no no. _No_. This is a much worse scenario; they are going to have heart-to-heart talk.

Keith attempts to subtly find another escape, like in his training. He manages to find three, and each gets blocked _right_ as he locates them. It’s passive-aggressiveness at its finest.

“We also want you to know that, although we do care about you, we care about Kolivan even more.”

Keith is torn from his grudging appreciation of the fine passive-aggressiveness when Antok keeps on talking.

“Kolivan is the one who built our organization from the ground and gathered us all together,” Ulaz chimes in.

“Some of us might—not have been from the best situation. Left in the Empire, we would have died without honour. Kolivan took us in and helped us regardless of our condition,” another Blade adds.

“I believe you’ve realized it yourself, Keith, that Kolivan cares about all of us,” Regris gravely says.

Keith has realized it. He nods, solemn, and wonders again why he had to be given this talk here.

Wait.

A talk. Are they giving him a _talk_ , or...?

“So we ask, Keith,” Antok rumbles once more. “We ask, what is your intention with Kolivan?”

A shovel talk.

Fuck.

 

(Some time before the start of this story:

“A shovel talk?”

“It’s... the talk family members or best friends give to potential significant others, I think. The family or friends might explain how they love the person very much to the significant other, and warn that significant others that... well, historically, that they have a shovel they can dig a grave with, so if the significant other breaks their beloved person’s heart, they’re going to kill and bury them.”

Kolivan was silent, the only way to know he was in contemplation. A moment after, he smiled wryly.

“Surprisingly enough, I have heard of nothing of that sort in Galran culture. We may, however, adopt an equivalent as an airlock talk.”)

 

In the middle of listening, enraptured, when one of the Blades explains in gruesome detail how they can kill and dispose of someone, Keith wonders if he should have pursued a relationship with Kolivan first; it would have made this first airlock-shovel talk of the Galran a more authentic experience.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a Tumblr post about Kolivan's relationship with and ~feelings~ for the Blades, as well as my chat with annintheroom about tsundere Kolivan after I read her Kolivan/Keith fic. I imagine the Blades adoring Kolivan (but, like, really subtly about that) and treating Keith with suspicion when he becomes ***close*** with Kolivan.
> 
> I was gonna write Kolivan finding out about the airlock talk... But I really have no idea how he'd react other than lifting an eyebrow at the sheepish Blades and confused Keith lmao


End file.
